Circuit-changing switch.



AP ADAMS. cmcun CHANGING swncm 1 APPLICATION mto new. ms.

Pafented May,14,1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. ADAMS, 0F SPARKILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CIRCUIT-CHANGING SWITCH.

Application fiIed December 9, 1916.

To all :whom may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at ,Sparkill, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit- Changing Switches,-of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to automatic circuit changing switches of the type in which an operating member is adapted to be moved to a plurality of positions in each of which certain circuit changes are accomplished. The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is designed more particularly for use as a register-controller in automatic telephone systems.

The object of the present invention is to provide a switch of this character which is quick-acting, accurate in operation, durable, and has few contacts.

The main feature of the present invention is the use of an electromagnetically controlled escapement mechanism to control contact springs of the switch.

The above and other features of this invention will be set forth in the following description and claims.

Referring to the drawings,.Figure 1 is a plan view of two switches mounted on a common shaft, one of said switches being partially in section, and the mechanism for winding up their spring motors. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the complete switch shown in Fig. 1, with a portion of the frame broken away to more clearly disclose the escapement mechanism. Fig. 3 is a front view of the toothed wheel and the escapement pawls.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a frame having upwardly-extending portions 2 and 3, apertured to form bearings for the shaft 3. An escapement wheel 1 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 3, between collars 16 and 35, which are rigidly fixed to the shaft A number of equally spaced notches 25 of various depths are arranged about the periphery of the wheel 4, thus forming a plurality of teeth 24., The wheel moves in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 2). Between the first tooth 26 and the last tooth 33, a double space 32 is rovided to allow the wheel to be stopped without having any of its teeth in ci-igagemcnt "with the escape Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 14, 1918.

Serial No. 136,079.

ment mechanism. A pin 18 extends from one side of the wheel 4:. A spiral spring 11, wound around shaft 3 and having one of its ends attached to the wheel 1 and its other end attached to collar 35, operates to drive the toothed wheel 4:. Lever 7 is secured to the armature 6 of the magnet '5. The armature is pivoted to the frame 1. Lever 7 has the escapement pawls 22 and 23, (Fig. 3) extending from one end, which engages the toothed wheel l, and controlling the escapement thereof.

Stationary contact springs 28, 30 and 27 and movable contact springs 29 and 31 are insulatedly attached to the frame by means of screws. Connected to these springs are the circuits (not shown) controlled by the switch. As shown in Fig. 1, the movable springs 29 and 31 are arranged to be moved by lever 7. When the armature 6 is com pletely retracted, the lever moves contact spring 29 into engagement with contact spring 28, and when the armature 6 is completely attracted, lever 7 moves contact spring 31 into engagement with contact spring 27.

In the present embodiment of the invention, there are two positions in which the lever 7 can be stopped in its attracted movement, and two positions in its retracted movement. In each of these positions, certain circuit changes are produced. When the armature 6 is attracted, the escapement pawl 22 is drawn out of engagement with a tooth, and escapement pawl 23 is drawn into engagement with the next tooth 0f the wheel 4, which is rotated by means of spring 11. If the notch between these teeth is of suflicient depth to allow the escapement pawl 22 to pass, lever 7 is moved far enough to the right so as to close contact springs 31 and 27 and allow contact spring 29 to come into contact with the stationary spring 30. If the notch is not of suflicient depth, the escapement pawl 22 engages the side of the wheel 4 and does not allow lever 7 to be moved far enough to close contact springs 31 and 27 and to allow contact spring 29 to come into contact with contact spring 30. Then relay 5 is deenergized, armature 6 is retracted and the tooth in engagement with escapement pawl 22 moves into engagement with escapemen't pawl 23.. If thespace be tween the teeth and he preceding. tooth her arranged to bring certain of said contact up said spring after said wheel has comsprings into engagement with each other, pleted a cycle of operation.

means for actuating said operating member, In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe if a rotatable shaft, a toothed wheel loosely my name this second day of December, mounted thereon and being arranged to A. D. 1916.

control said operating member, a sprlng for rotating said wheel, and means for winding ARTHUR H. ADAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

